Seeder Approves CAP Assistance Budget
This year's budget for rural development assistance under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy is 127 million euros.
The amount, approved by Agriculture Minister Helir-Valdor Seeder today, is the amount at the disposal of the Agrocultural Registers and Infomration Board, which channels the grant money. Applications for the assistance will be elicited under 30 different rural development measures and submeasures, the Ministry announced.
Seeder also decided to increase funding for two agricultural investemnt support measures announced last year - demand has been high for the animal housing support (decisions to be announced February 16) and the support for developing of microagriculture companies (April 16).
Seeder said the measures had been successful so far. "For example, half of Estonia's milk cows are housed in new cow sheds equipped with modern technology," he said.
All told, a total of 651 million euros has been approved under the Rural Development Plan 2007-2013. Two-thirds has been paid out and disbursement can continue up to the end of 2015.
Kristopher Rikken